Malliouhana: Anguilla's Grande Dame on the Meads Bay Bluff
Clifftop glamour where Meads Bay meets Turtle Cove
Why Go
Before Anguilla became a byword for barefoot luxury, there was Malliouhana. Opened in 1984 and reborn under the Auberge Resorts Collection, this clifftop icon perches on a bluff between Meads Bay and Turtle Cove ΓÇö and it still sets the tone for the whole island.
The Experience
Spread across 25 acres of tropical gardens on Anguilla's southwestern coast, Malliouhana balances old-school Caribbean elegance with a playful, retro-chic redesign. Rooms and suites cascade toward the sea in whitewashed, wicker-and-rattan style, most with sweeping views over Meads Bay's mile-plus arc of white sand. Days drift between the two infinity-edge pools, the beach below, complimentary yoga and tennis, and the spa's aromatherapy treatments and detox wraps. Evenings mean sundowners at Bar Soleil followed by dinner at Celeste, where chef Kerth Gumbs turns out inventive, Caribbean-inspired sea-to-table cooking in an open-air room above the water.
What to Try
Dinner at Celeste by Kerth Gumbs is the headline act ΓÇö ask for the day's sea-to-table catch. For lunch, wander down to Leon's at Meads Bay, the resort's technicolor beach shack, for grilled fish, a rum punch, and a hammock strung between palms. Bar Soleil handles Caribbean-style tapas and sunset cocktails. On the water, the non-motorized toys ΓÇö sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks ΓÇö are complimentary from the beach.
Insider Tip
Book a room on the Turtle Cove side for sunrise quiet, but time at least one evening on the Meads Bay bluff: the cliff-edge terraces face due west, making this one of the best sunset perches in Anguilla. Leon's is open to non-guests and gets lively on weekends, so guests should stake out beach loungers before noon. Low season (late summer) brings the best rates, though check dates as many Anguilla resorts close briefly in September.
The Practical Stuff
Located on Meads Bay, West End, Anguilla ΓÇö about 15 minutes' drive from Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport and reachable via ferry from St. Maarten plus a short taxi. This is a luxury-tier property (roughly $$$$; rates vary sharply between winter high season and summer). Resort facilities include two infinity pools, spa, fitness and tennis facilities, complimentary yoga and water sports, and three dining venues. Reservations essential for Celeste in high season; dress is elegant-casual island style.
Pair It With
- Blanchards Restaurant Guide — A short stroll along Meads Bay, this long-running fine-dining institution makes an easy off-resort dinner night.
- Straw Hat — Toes-in-the-sand breakfast and lunch spot on the same beach ΓÇö a casual counterpoint to Celeste.
- Jacala Beach Restaurant — French-Caribbean beachfront lunch on Meads Bay, perfect for a long, lazy afternoon between swims.
- Meads Bay Beach Guide — The resort's own front yard: a mile of powder-white sand ideal for morning walks and sunset swims.